I have always assumed that this phrase meant to invent a phrase, to use words together in a novel way. When I see it used lately, it is usually followed by a cliche, rather than an inventive combination of words. What’s the scoop? Did it once mean what I thought it meant, and is now evolving through usage to mean the opposite?
I don’t remember having heard it used that way. I suspect people who do this are using the phrase ironically. Kind of like saying “Pardon my French” after a string of (non-French) naughty words.
Either that, or the mindless idiots heard enough people using it ironically and starting using it themselves without realizing what it means.
I’ve always enjoyed using “To coin a cliche” when appropriate.
Hey Thudlow, look what I found!
I concur with the interpretation cited in your link, and initially offered by Thudlow. I believe that any other use is one of, shall I say charitably, ignorance of the common usage. It is to be chalked up to youth, probably, and the often accompanying lack of familiarity with literature. Not a bad thing. They’ll grow out of it.
I suspect this thread might lend credence to the suggestion that, to coin a phrase, people from country X don’t get type of humour Y.
It’s sarcasm, folks. It means “I know this is a hackneyed phrase, so I’m going to pretend I just came up with it”.
I guess it’s possible that I am cross-culturally humor (or humour)-impaired, Colophon, but I have seen and heard it used when a truly inventive phrase followed it, and also when a cliche followed it.
For instance, The Telegraph had a headline on a story in 2002 about the euro which read “To coin a phrase, it’s a eurotic experience”. Link. This seems to me to be a case of my mistaken understanding of the phrase’s meaning being exhibited in the UK. Now I’m curious as to whether it was originally used unironically, and is now used almost exclusively ironically.
Yes, it is also used in its original sense too.
I wouldn’t say “almost exclusively”. The original sense is as you suspect, but I have seen it still used in that way quite often. The ironic sense is probably the more common of the two now, though.